


To Days of Rest

by purpleplatypusbear



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Domestic Fluff, F/M, Momtara and Dadko, Zuko is an Awkward Turtleduck
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-21
Updated: 2020-09-21
Packaged: 2021-03-07 22:34:16
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,013
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26575321
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/purpleplatypusbear/pseuds/purpleplatypusbear
Summary: I loveee steam babies and I like to think that if one of Zutara's kids were a non-bender, Zuko would teach them hand-to-hand combat or dao dual broadswords so they wouldn't feel left out. I love Zutara teasing each other, but also being super in love. And I liveee for Zuko being the awkward dork that he is and struggling through emotional conversations with his kids lol. I wanted to show "domestic" as their family dynamic/home life and how Katara would definitely be the one to demand Zuko take rest days, lol. So yeah, that's where the inspiration came from.I really hope I was able to do this justice! :)
Relationships: Katara/Zuko (Avatar)
Comments: 15
Kudos: 63
Collections: Zutara Fluff Exchange





	To Days of Rest

**Author's Note:**

  * For [aurcras](https://archiveofourown.org/users/aurcras/gifts).



Sundays were for family: not crowns, heavy robes or meetings with stuffy old generals. The Firelord had his duties to the outside world, but he also had his duty to _his_ world where he existed only as _Zuko_ and _Dad_. He took this very seriously and anyone who disturbed this delicate balance would face the wrath of an angry master waterbender. 

On Sundays, he did everything for himself: cook, clean…make tea. In fact, that’s exactly where Zuko was headed before he heard a muffled, but unmistakable wail. He bounced from one foot to the other, contemplating whether to intrude on this awkwardly private emotional moment, before deciding to enter the room. Obscured beneath a mountain of purple pillows lay a girl with cocoa colored skin and curly jet-black hair. He placed a hand on her shoulder gingerly. 

“Little turtleduck…what’s wrong?” He implored, calling his firstborn, Kya, by her nickname. 

“I can’t bend…like you…like mom…like Lu Ten.” She groaned, her face still buried in her Appa plushie. 

He breathed a sigh of relief. It was not boy troubles, or worse, something only her mother would be able to talk to her about. 

“Lots of people can’t bend.” He said, cringing after the words flew from his mouth. 10 years of being a father and he was still awkward as ever with emotions. 

“You and mom always tell us stories about the war. Fighting sounds…exciting. I want to be powerful too.” 

She sat up suddenly. Those big cerulean eyes pooled with sorrow, her lips rounded in a pout. It made his heart ache, and still, he couldn’t help but chuckle. It reminded him of a story Katara told him about a misogynistic waterbending instructor that refused to train her.

***“I want to fight!”***

She was definitely Katara’s. 

“Plenty of non-benders were essential to us winning. Your Uncle Sokka is the greatest strategist I’ve ever known. Without him, I would’ve just been shooting fireballs into the void.” 

Kya opened her mouth to protest, but Zuko continued. 

“And your grandmother, Kya, was a brave, powerful woman. Just like your mom and just like you.” He finished. She folded her arms across her chest, still not fully convinced. 

“Let me show you something.” Zuko said, sliding her off of his lap and standing. Two feet met the floor and begrudgingly followed his footsteps to his office. He resisted the urge to organize the pile of papers overflowing on the desk (tomorrow’s task, he reminded himself) and instead, pointed to the pair of dao broadswords adorning the wall. 

“You brought me here to look at your decorative swords?” Her face mirrored his classic scowl perfectly. 

“Decorative?” He said affronted. He plucked them from the wall carefully. 

“Could a decoration do this?”

With quick synchronous swipes, he sliced an intricate pattern into the curtains behind him. Light streamed in through the slits where dark blue fabric used to be. 

“Mom’s not going to be happy about that. She loved those curtains.” She pointed out, but he could tell from her widened eyes that she was awed.

“Well…we just won’t tell her, will we?” 

Kya giggled. “Dad, how did…why did you…I mean…you’re a firebender.”

“I wasn’t always a firebender. There was a time when I thought I was a non-bender.” He said, a ghost of a sad smile on his face. He promised himself that his children would never know of Ozai’s cruelty. 

“So, I trained with these.” 

“Can I...learn?” 

He smiled, thoughts of Ozai vanished as he placed the swords into her small hands.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Later, he found his Lady of the Moon already in bed. She kept her curly, thick mane shorter now, preferring not to deal with it much. The length kissed her bronzed shoulders perfectly. His eyes trailed over her light blue silky nightdress, causing his breath to hitch. Agni, he was lucky.

“How was your day with Lu Ten?” He kissed her cheek, settling behind her to massage her shoulders. 

“He’s advancing well.” She replied, pausing to look up from her book. 

“I see the office curtains were due for a trim.” 

His face flushed. “How did you even notic--…um, about that…Kya--”

“Real honorable to blame Kya.” Her face was stern, but her eyes crinkled in amusement.

“I was showing her my dual swords,” he rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. 

“She was upset about being a non-bender...I wanted to show her that she doesn’t have to be.” 

“...Oh. I didn’t know that she felt…” Katara’s face softened. 

“Me either.” Zuko whispered solemnly.

“I’m glad you could share that with her.” She smiled, leaning into him.

“So, did you have a heart to heart today as well?” 

Katara wrinkled her nose. “Not really, but your son asked me about girls.” 

“Why didn’t he ask me?” Zuko asked slightly offended.

“Because you’re so smooth.” she said sarcastically, deadpanning. He glowered in response and she burst out laughing.

“He wanted to know how to tell if a girl likes him. He asked how I knew I liked you.” 

“Well…what’d you tell him?” 

She laughed. “Twelve years later and you still don’t get why I love you.” 

He shrugged. “It is a blessing that escapes all logic, but I’m grateful for it every day.” 

“I told him that you make an excellent personal heater.” She mused.

“Ah, so it was my firebending that did it.” 

“What can I say? A girl likes a boy that is useful. And it’s not every day you find a boy willing to stand in front of lightning for you.” 

She turned to face him, her hand lightly trailing along the scar below his sternum before settling on his face. 

“It’s an honor to serve.”

“I can think of a few ways you can be useful right now.” She whispered seductively, peered at him with heavily lidded eyes.

“How can I serve you?” He said returning her grin, pulling her into a tight embrace.

Amber eyes locked with blue, mirrored with desire. 

“Repeatedly.” She whispered, smiling against his lips.

**Author's Note:**

> I loveee steam babies and I like to think that if one of Zutara's kids were a non-bender, Zuko would teach them hand-to-hand combat or dao dual broadswords so they wouldn't feel left out. I love Zutara teasing each other, but also being super in love. And I liveee for Zuko being the awkward dork that he is and struggling through emotional conversations with his kids lol. I wanted to show "domestic" as their family dynamic/home life and how Katara would definitely be the one to demand Zuko take rest days, lol. So yeah, that's where the inspiration came from. 
> 
> I really hope I was able to do this justice! :)


End file.
